The Public Works and Public Housing Ministry broke ground Friday on the third phase of the 61.7-kilometer Cisumdawu toll road that connects several West Java towns, including Cileunyi, Sumedang and Dawuan.

The third phase of the project would be completed in 2019, director general of roads Arie Setiadi Moerwanto told reporters on Friday at the ministry.

Arie said the project cost Rp 2.24 trillion (US$165.6 million), which would be covered by a loan from China. “We still have work left to do to complete the loan agreement, and we will work very hard toward it," he added.

The government also needs to finish acquiring land for the project: As of November, it had acquired only 37.5 percent of the land needed for the project.

Freeways and regional roads director Sugiyartanto said ministerial representatives had already spoken with the landowners. “So we expect to be able to acquire the rest of the land soon,” he said. (bbn)